SIX PARISHES NEWSLETTER
for
St Giles’ Church. Badger
St Milburga’s Church. Beckbury
St Andrew’s Church. Ryton
Rector: Rev’d Keith Hodson tel 01952 750774
Email: [email protected]
Web Site: http://www.beckburygroupministry.org.uk
Badger
Rota of Services in the 6 Parishes –April 2016
Beckbury Ryton
Kemberton Stockton
Sunday
April
3rd
April
10th
April
17th
April
24th
4pm
Memorial
KH
9.30am
Communion
KH (trad)
11am
Memorial
KH
9.30am
Matins
TD
9.30am
Communion
KH (new)
9.30am
Matins
TD
May 1st
KH - Revd Keith Hodson;
Sutton
Maddock
9.30am
Communion
KH (new)
11am
Morning
Worship
KH
6.30pm
Evensong
KH
11am
Communion
KH (new)
11am
Communion
KH (new)
6.30pm
Evensong
KH
8.15am
Communion
KH (trad)
9.30am
Matins
KH
TD - Tina Dalton;
11am
Rogation
Service KH
LT - Local Team
PRAYER OF THE MONTH
Heavenly Father, give us the bravery of St George
to stand up for what we believe.
Give us the strength to overcome that which threatens our lives,
and give us the compassion to help people in distress.
For Jesus’ sake.
AMEN
Next Newsletter
Contributions for next month’s newsletter to either –
David Tooth at Havenside, Beckbury – 01952 750324. Email - [email protected]
Or Ruth Ferguson at Tarltons, Beckbury – 01952 750267 not later than 14th of this month, please.
FROM THE RECTORY
Dear friends,
April 23rd is St George’s Day, the patron saint of England. But I am not expecting too much celebration,
compared with March 1st St David’s Day for Wales; March 17th St Patrick’s Day for Ireland; and November
30th St Andrew’s day for Scotland.
Though, maybe this year, there will be more flag waving and red roses on show with the present discussions
and debates about our place in the UK, and in Europe. Nationalism in the past was linked to Great Britain,
but with Wales and Scotland now having measures of independence, this may cause the English to look more
to England than to GB. Certainly in soccer and rugger this has been true for years, and England fans are
very passionate and vocal for their team. Andy Murray’s tennis success has caused some confusion for
commentators about claiming him for ……….Britain?
St George’s connection with England is non-existent, and the story of his slaying the dragon is mythical.
King Edward 111 put his Order of the Garter (founded 1348) under the banner of St George. This order is
still the foremost order of knighthood in England and St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle was built by
Edward 1V and Henry V11 in honour of the order. In his play Henry V, William Shakespeare famously
invokes the Saint prior to the battle of Agincourt (1415): “Cry ‘God for Harry, England and Saint George!’”
April 23rd was in those centuries a feast day on a par with Christmas, but as “The United Kingdom”
developed, so St George fell out of popularity. There have been calls to replace him with a saint who has
played a part in English history.
Likewise there have been calls for a new National Anthem for England’s international sporting fixtures, as
God Save the Queen is British rather than English. Both the RFU and FA say they are happy with it, some
wait to see what MPs say in the debate in parliament on St George’s Eve April 22nd.
Flanders and Swann (“mud, mud, glorious mud”) wrote a Song of Patriotic Prejudice in 1963. Here are
some of the lines
And all the world over, each nation’s the same. They’ve simply no notion of playing the game.
They argue with umpires, they cheer when they’ve won.
And they practice beforehand which ruins the fun!
The English, the English, the English are best. So up with the English and down with the rest.
It’s not that they’re wicked or naturally bad
It’s knowing they’re foreign that makes them so mad!
Haven’t things changed since 1963!
Keith Hodson
DIARY DATES FOR April
Sunday 3rd April
Sunday 3rd April
Wednesday 6th
Tuesday 12th
Wednesday 13th
Wednesday 27th
11am Memorial Service at Sutton Maddock Church
4pm Memorial Service at Beckbury Church
7.30pm
Beckbury Parish Council meet in Beckbury
Village Hall
1.30pm Friendship Club meet by the Church for a visit
To Percy Thrower’s Garden Centre
10am Prayers on Wednesday
10am Prayers on Wednesday
Bell Ringing practice in Beckbury Church each Tuesday commenting at 8pm
CHURCH NEWS
Lent Lunches organised by the Churches Together in the Shifnal District raised £941.00p for Christian Aid.
Our special thanks to those from the Six Parishes who were responsible for the lunch on 9th March.
On Sunday 3rd April we have our Six Parishes Memorial Services at Sutton Maddock 11am and Beckbury
4pm, when we remember those who have passed away, especially in the last twelve months.
Local church AGMs take place this month. Details are available at the churches.
May 1st is Rogation Sunday and our special 11am farming service will be at Stockton Church.
The new Bishop of Lichfield will be Rt Revd Michael Ipgrave OBE MA PhD who has been since 2012 the
area Bishop of Woolwich in the diocese of Southwark, London.
BAPTISMS
Congratulations to Eva Ryder, daughter of Andrew and Abi, who was baptised at
Sutton Maddock Church on 6th March 2016.
CONDOLENCES
We extend our sympathies to the family of the late Mick Roberts, aged 70, of Dorrington
whose service was held at Stockton Church on 3rd March 2016.
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THE PCC OF ST. ANDREW’S CHURCH, RYTON
wish to advertise the post of ‘Treasurer’.
Any interested party should contact the
Rector Keith Hodson at The Rectory, Beckbury,
Tel. no. 019512 750774
OUR THANKS TO BECKBURY C.E. PRIMARY SCHOOL
Many people commented on the lovely flowers on the altar in Beckbury Church for the Mothering Sunday
service which were provided and arranged by pupils from Beckbury School. Our photograph shows how
proud they were with their efforts. We would also like to thank the ladies from the church who provided
floral gifts which were presented to each mother and granny at the end of the service.
SIX PARISHES FRIENDSHIP CLUB
Our February meeting was a first Table Olympics we had arranged for our members but it was amazing the
variety of games which were produced, ranging from a set of dominoes (which had been played on board a
ship 70 years ago), to snakes and ladders purchased specially for the afternoon, and soon we were all in our
own little worlds again, playing games not used for many years. We had a super afternoon, full of laughter
and noise especially when the Tower of Babel fell down. Alas the afternoon passed far too quickly and after
a burst of happy birthday to Leon Custance it was almost time for home.
For our meeting on Tuesday 12th April we meet at 1.30pm by Beckbury Church for a visit to the Percy
Thrower Garden Centre at Shrewsbury, which promises to be a very interesting afternoon out.
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BECKBURY PARISH COUNCIL
The Council met on Wednesday 2nd March 2016.
We were joined by Mr Mark Spickernell. Mark informed us that he has been elected as the new Chairperson
of Beckbury Allotments. The Council welcomed Mark’s appointment and look forward to having a good
working relationship with him and the allotments.
It was highlighted in the Parish Plan that residents were unsure of the process to apply for an allotment.
Mark agreed to publish the application criteria in the Parish Newsletter.
Councillor De Courcey completed a review of vehicle passing places in and leading into Beckbury. It was
agreed that there were plenty of passing areas for vehicular traffic. It was, however, highlighted that in some
places there were potholes that could potentially cause damage to vehicles and cyclists. These matters have
been raised with Shropshire Council where appropriate.
The new noticeboard has now been completed and will be erected within the next week.
It was also agreed that to celebrate the Queen’s 90th Birthday that Beckbury Parish Council will present
commemorative coins to all children at Beckbury School and Nursery.
The date of the next meeting is Wednesday 6th April.
Carl Steventon
BECKBURY CE PRIMARY SCHOOL
World Book Day
Thursday 3rd March was world book day. The children were encouraged to dress as their favourite book
characters. All of the staff, including me, were absolutely blown away by the costumes the children wore
and the effort that they and their parents put into this special day.
The children took part in a day of reading activities, all focused around the teacher’s favourite story books.
With me, the children read the story of Alice in Wonderland. We designed our own top hats and cupcakes
for a Mad Hatter style tea party. With Miss Dady, the children were transported into a world of imagination
and created their very own crests and bookmarks. With Mrs Kempsey and Mrs Grinnell, the children have
been carried away down the river with the story of the Wind in the Willows.
These are just a few of the characters the children and staff dressed up as on the day.
Just William
The Boy in the Dress
Hermione Grainger
The Fat Controller
Where’s Wally
Dorothy
Artful Dodger
Gruffalo
Snow White
Little Red Riding Hood
Ella the Rose Fairy
Highway Rat
Miss E Docherty
Lead Teacher
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MYSTERY NO MORE
In our December 2014 Newsletter we referred to Major John Lloyd who was killed at Flanders on 18th June
1915. In the main, our questions were around the problem of who he was and why did his sister pay to have
a rather splendid memorial window in Beckbury Church. A lot of research has been carried out since then
and we now have some of the answers.
In the early 1900’s John Francis Selby Lloyd was living in the family home Stowe Hill House, Lichfield,
which was owned by parents Francis Henry and Alice, the father owned a steelworks in Wednesbury, John
F. S. Lloyd was a director of a tube manufacturing company and married to Eleanora Mary Lloyd, he was
also a captain in the Territorials (2nd Volunteer Battalion KSLI). John served with distinction during the
early days of the war in the 6th North Staffs Regiment and was quite quickly given the rank of Major. At the
time of his death on 18th June 1915 he was acting as Lieutenant Colonel and it is possible that his death was
as a result of a German gas attack at Wulverghem on June 17th 1915.
The connection with Beckbury was in the end quite simple. John’s sister, Alice Maria, married Edward
Tilley Slater in 1912 who was at that time the Vicar of Beckbury and upon her brother’s death paid for the
rather remarkable window that we now see.
The window is an Arts and Crafts window designed by F. R. Gadsby in 1919, it’s general description is as
follows:
“On the left of the window is a ‘warrior, ready to make the sacrifice’, on the right, an angel ‘showing him in
vision the supreme sacrifice’- the Crucifixion. Above the knight is the grey terrestrial city that he is leaving
behind, above the angel is the Celestial City – the New Jerusalem – which is the knight’s reward. Between
them is the Siege Perilous, the seat reserved at the Round Table by Merlin for the knight that finds the Holy
Grail. The window is ‘in memory of John Francis Selby Lloyd, Major, 6th North Staffs Regiment, who made
the Supreme Sacrifice, June 18th 1915, Wulverghem, Flanders”.
Further research shows that Major Lloyd was a distant relative of local resident Trevor Jenks who lived with
his wife Pamela at The Old Post Office, Beckbury.
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TRAINED TAILOR, ALTERATION SERVICE
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Bridal Wear and Shooting Suits a speciality
Curtain Making and Alterations
Confidential Service. Please ring for a quote
01952 750490 or 0771162969
APLEY FARM SHOP, NORTON
HANDYMAN REQUIRED
8-10 hours per week over 4-5 days
Call Tina on 01952 730345
[email protected]
RECYCLING CLOSURES
The Sita HRC site will no longer be available for householders as this service will be made available at
Hortonwood and Halesfield from October 2016. The opening times of these sites will be extended to 9am 5pm 7 days a week.
At the same time, the Council will stop sending household waste which is collected directly from Telford &
Wrekin households to the Sita landfill site. Waste will be transferred to a station also at Hortonwood and
then taken to an Energy from Waste Facility outside of the borough. However, Sita may continue to operate
landfill disposal and utilise recycling opportunities for businesses to dispose of their waste at Granwille.
Options for the future needs of the site are being explored by Sita and the current understanding is that they
will continue to use the landfill site if they are able to generate sufficient business to make this viable.
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BECKBURY SHOW PRESENTATION EVENING
The Beckbury Show Presentation Evening took place on Wednesday 23rd March at the Beckbury Village
Hall. Over 70 people attended the fun packed evening and a total of £12,650 was distributed. Since its
inception, the Beckbury Show has generated and distributed well over £60,000.00 to local charities and good
causes, helping to fund projects in Beckbury and the surrounding villages. Those causes supported this year
included:
Beckbury Friendship Club
Agility Dogs
Dog Show
Pony Club
Beckbury Allotment Association
Scouts (Wombourne)
Kaleidoscope Theatre
Diabetes UK
Midlands Air Ambulance
Beckbury Over 65’s Lunch
Steve Bull Foundation
Beckbury Church
Cloe Rouse – to be used for a charity of her choice
Beckbury Village Hall
Beckbury School
Pledge donation to Beckbury Shop
£200.00
£200.00
£200.00
£250.00
£250.00
£300.00
£500.00
£500.00
£600.00
£650.00
£1,000.00
£1,000.00
£1,500.00
£2,000.00
£2,500.00
£1,000.00
GRAND TOTAL
£12,650.00
A big thank you to all the volunteers who make the show possible and for the support and encouragement
we receive from the villagers in Beckbury. Also, a big thank you to all our kind and generous sponsors,
without whom the show would not happen. Some of our sponsors include:
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Adfield Group
Beaman Butchers of Bridgnorth
Beckbury Shoot
Mark Wycherley Farm
Renew
Richard Solari Farms
Rybrook BMW Shrewsbury
Stage Set Light
Sutton Maddock Vehicle Rental
Veolia
W H Tildesley
The date for the Beckbury Show 2016 has been announced as Saturday 24th September – more details to
follow.
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